It is known as the Nagasaki Cross, a small — about 15 inches tall and 7 inches wide — Christian symbol forged from debris found in the wreckage of a middle school located 1,500 feet from where an American plutonium bomb detonated on Aug. 9, 1945.
Christian, Baptist, Evangelical? Just call me a Jesus follower (then again, maybe not)
These three words — Christian, Baptist and evangelical — have such diverse meanings in contemporary society they hardly mean anything at all. So I would just rather be known as a would-be Jesus follower.
Christian, Baptist, Evangelical — two out of three ain’t bad
Recently, someone who presents himself as “religiously unaffiliated” asked: “Aren’t you evangelicals really just the Republican Party at prayer?” We are good friends, so I responded: “Who’s ‘you evangelicals,’ you none?” For those readers who don’t have cable TV or…
Desert encounter — a new stance for the Church?
To my delight and at times surprise, I’ve recently found myself involved in different conversations of ecumenical and interfaith dialogue. I’ve also witnessed a growth in other ecumenical groups in our area, and continue to learn of colleagues in different…
When a tiny church houses three religions
Four communities of faith — Christian, Muslim, Jewish and interfaith — form the Multifaith Campus, a novel experiment in multiple religions sharing not just a building but a community.
Do you know the difference between being an American and being a Christian?
One of the great gifts of the Baptist voice to the wider world of Christianity is the idea of the separation of church and state. In the United States, this voice gave direction, via the Constitution, that citizens of our…
Why Bible believers are not really Bible believers
A good number of evangelical Christians self-identify as Bible believers. It’s a peculiar way for a Christian to self-identify when you think about it. A Christian is someone who has some kind of relationship to Christ. After all Christ is…
Churches helping refugees despite fear and rhetoric, say those involved in resettlement
For some Americans, domestic and overseas terror attacks, plus a good dose of anti-Syrian political rhetoric, have made refugee resettlement something to be feared. And a lot of the Americans who hold that view are churchgoers – including a lot…
Looking at others through the lens of love
By R. Kevin Johnson I passed a Muslim woman on the street wearing a hijab. She walked quickly with her head down. She acted like she didn’t want to be noticed. She looked scared. Perhaps her fear is justified given…